THESE adorable baby meerkats, which are new arrivals at a Hampshire zoo, are practising standing up on their back legs.

But the tiny creatures, who are only a few weeks old, can only stand up for a few seconds before they wobble over.

They are learning the pose which adult meerkats use when they are on 'sentry duty' - looking out for predators to protect the rest of their group.

Part of a litter of four, these fluffy meerkat pups were born at Marwell Zoo in Winchester, Hants.

Pictured with an adult relative, the lovable little animals spend their day playing, cuddling into their elders, and learning to stand.

Meerkats, part of the mongoose family, are known as 'cooperative breeders', which means that other adults as well as the mother help to take care of the young.

This includes older brothers and sisters, who will help keep the pups safe and teach them how to forage for food, look out for threats, and run for safety.

These tiny new arrivals weigh just 100 grams each and measure five inches nose to tail - about the size of an iPhone 5.

Marc Fox, Team Leader for Carnivores at Marwell Zoo, said: "Our new family of meerkats can be found next to the zoo's yellow mongoose house.

"Meerkat pups spend the first few months of their lives learning how to forage, play, and dig for their dinner.

"For now, the pups will stay close to mum near their burrow.

"When mum says it's safe, they will explore their surroundings, climb and play and interact with their siblings.

Marc, from Winchester, Hants, added: "They are still practising the behaviours and posture that comes with being a meerkat.

"When they are a bit older they will stand on their hind legs for sentry duty - although it's a skill that takes a few months to master!"

Meerkats, which live in southern Africa in the wild, are omnivores, with their natural diet consisting of fruit, roots, invertebrates such as insects and scorpions, and small animals such as mice, birds, and lizards.

They are expert diggers, and will create a series of tunnels, burrows and bolt holes to sleep in, look after their young, and hide from predators.

Being very social animals, they usually live in groups of 10 to 20 individuals, although groups of up to 50 have been observed.

The Marwell Zoo meerkat pups are too small for the zoo-keepers to be able to tell if they are male or female, so they are yet to be named.